– 30 Days of Kindness: Eating With Asha During Bahman Mah –
As the holy month of Bahman Ameshaspand gently descends upon us like fragrant loban, many Parsis consider taking a pause from their love affair with marghi-na-farcha and the omnipresent-ma-gohst. It’s that sacred time of the Zoroastrian calendar when we remember not only the guardian angel of animals and good thoughts – Bahman Ameshaspandji – but also the divine blueprint of living a life aligned with wisdom, kindness, and dare I say it… healthy gut.
As a professional and a humble Parsi, I have a simple message this Bahman month, which commences on 11th June – let us truly honour the Ameshaspandji who watches over animals and higher thinking by refraining from consuming non-vegetarian food. Let’s talk about a whole-food, plant-based diet, not as some hipster food trend from a yoga retreat, but as a spiritual, health-boosting and deeply Parsi way to live.
Bahman Ameshaspandji is the divine protector of animals, intelligence and higher consciousness. In other words, he’s the celestial manager of the SPCA, the Oxford University ethics department, and your grandmother’s moral compass – all rolled into one radiant being! In Zoroastrianism, this month is meant to honour Bahman by refraining from meat, respecting animals, and engaging in clean, conscious living. But here’s the laakh-rupiyaa-no-sawal… why just one month?
Do we truly believe the holy Ameshaspand Bahman is only on duty 30 days a year? What happens after that? Does He go on vacation and you go full tandoori? No, my friends, if we believe animals are sacred, and that our thoughts, actions, and diets affect our spiritual evolution, then it’s time we embraced this ethic – not as a month-long fast, but as a lifelong lifestyle.
But Doctor, How Can I Live Without Eggs, Cheese, Chicken and Chai?
Ah, the eternal Parsi cry! I understand that us Parsis love our dairy with more passion than we love old retro English songs. Here’s the scientific – and spiritual – truth: animal products, even dairy, ain’t just unhealthy, but also out of alignment with the kind of spiritual evolution that Bahman Ameshaspandji calls us towards. Let me explain:
Health Benefits of a Whole Food Plant-Based Diet
Bye Bye Bypass: Studies show that whole food plant-based diets can reverse heart disease, reduce cholesterol, and lower blood pressure. Our arteries don’t care for ghee-laden everything. They just want to be clear and calm, like a Sunday drive on Marine Drive.
Cancer Risk Reduction: Multiple large-scale studies have shown lower rates of breast, colon, and prostate cancers among plant-based eaters. And no, it’s not just because they spend their weekends hugging trees. It’s because plant-based foods are rich in antioxidants, fibre, and magic (okay, phytonutrients).
Diabetes Prevention & Reversal: A plant-based diet can stabilize blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity, and even reverse type 2 diabetes in many cases. So, if your fasting sugar has started moving north, it’s time to consider eating like a saint, not a dairy addict.
Gut Health = Brain Health: Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria. The good ones thrive on fibre-rich, plant-based foods. The bad ones? They throw wild, inflammatory parties every time you eat meat or cheese. Keep the party polite and prebiotic.
Weight Control Without Starvation: Want to lose weight without counting every cashew or suffering through tears? A plant-based diet is naturally lower in calorie density and higher in satisfaction. It’s the only “diet” that feels less like punishment and more like a festival thali.
But Isn’t Eating Meat a Parsi Tradition?
Let’s be real. Many Parsis confuse habits with tradition. Just because your caterer added gosht or eggs in everything, doesn’t mean it was spiritually sanctioned. In fact, ancient Zoroastrian texts and priestly practices emphasise respect for all life. The Gathas, the very words of Asho Zarathushtra, call for living in harmony with creation. Killing and consuming animals is hard to square with that cosmic ethic. If you study the Shahnameh, its clearly said that meat eating was introduced by Ahriman and made Zohak the dreaded evil king, by first making him fall for the taste of meat. Do not forget Dasturji Asho Kukadaru Saheb followed a strict diet that never caused suffering to animals.
So, What’s Left To Eat? Ghaas-phuss???
You’re not a goat (unless you were in a past life and are now paying karmic retribution via cholesterol meds). A whole food plant-based diet includes vegetables, whole grains, legumes (dals), fruits and greens, nuts and seeds as well as all those spices, herbs, chutneys, achars – all your traditional favourites are still in play. Only now, your food loves you back!
You don’t have to eat boiled broccoli and cry while watching food reels on Instagram. You can eat a rich, delicious, deeply satisfying Parsi-style meal without a single drop of cholesterol clogging your arteries and karma. So how do we make the transition without turning into a bore? Let’s not pretend this is easy. No major shift is. But it is possible. Here’s how to start:
One day at a time: Start with one day of plant-based meal. A healthy veg pulao, lentil soup, or a vibrant salad with roasted sweet potatoes and peanuts.
Replace, Don’t Remove: Swap dairy milk for almond, oat or soy. Replace paneer with tofu. Use coconut cream for richness. There’s innumerable, yummy hacks available!
Cook What You Love, Just Cleaner: Make your eeda… just without the eeda. Scrambled tofu with spices can give you the same satisfaction, minus the diseases.
Join the Movement: There’s a growing tribe of Parsis, Indians and global citizens going plant-based. You’re not alone. We’re a WhatsApp group away.
Remember Your Why: You’re not just doing this for your waistline. You’re doing it for your well-being, your faith, and your future.
The Spiritual Takeaway
Zoroastrianism is not about blind obedience but conscious choice. We are asked to choose Asha – truth, righteousness, harmony. A whole-food, plant-based diet is one of the simplest, most profound ways to bring our daily lives into resonance with Asha. When we stop contributing to cruelty, environmental destruction and ill health through our diets, we begin living with greater awareness. Greater lightness. Greater joy. And let’s be honest – Bahman Ameshaspand will probably high-five you when Sarosh Yazad comes to receive you!
If we can send spacecraft to Mars, build unicorn companies, and debate the best dhansak masala aunty till the end of time, we can absolutely learn to eat in a way that honours our bodies, our faith, and all living beings.
This Bahman month, don’t just go off meat for 30 days and then return to your fried habits. Use this time as a gateway. A trial run. A chance to step into a new paradigm of health, compassion and spiritual evolution.
May your thoughts be good, your hearts be light, your bowels be regular, and your pantry, plant-based! Let’s eat like the evolved souls we were born to be!
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